Automatic mine-car coupler



Jan. 12 1926.

B. E. GILDERSLEEVE AUTOMATIC MINE CAR COUPLER Filed Oct. 1'7, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I Ur INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Jan. 12 ,1926. 1,569,012

B. E. GILDERSLEEVE AUTOMATIC MINE CAR COUPLER Filed Oct. 17, 1923 2 h heet 2 I A VEN TOR.

L TTORNE Y.

Cal

Patented Jan. 12, 1926.

UNITED STATES BENJAMIN E. GILDE BSLEEVE, 0F LYN'CI-IBURG, VIRGINIA.

AUTOMATIC CHINE-GAR COUPLER.

Application filed October 17, 1923.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN E. GILBER- SLEEVE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynchburg, in the county of Campbell, State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Auto matic Mine-Car Couplers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention comprises a coupler designed for use upon all types of mining and other railway cars.

However, for the sake of simplicity, the herein described invention will be illustrated as applied to one type of mining car wherein two of the floor boards extend outwardly beyond the end of, the car to constitute two projecting bracing and supporting members.

One object of my invention is to provide a coupling mechanism which will operate more readily, both in the coupling and uncoupling operations, and at the same time, produce a coupler which will accommodate itself to all conditions of travel.

Another object of my invention is to provide a durable coupler which will also serve as a means for joining and holding the boards constituting the floor of the car together.

A further object of invention is to produce a more economical coupler assembly, not only in the mechanism itself, but incombination with means for extending the life of the usefulness of these railway cars.

Other and further objects of my invention will appear from the following specification and claims.

This invention will be described with reference to a type of car used in coal mining, but it will be understood to be equally applicable to other types of cars.

The invention comprises a metal reinforced plate or bumper which extends across the front of each of the bracing and supporting members and is bent at each end to extend along the outside of the car, where the two ends are fastened by a transverse bolt. This bolt is designed to pass through registering slots in the bottom boards of the car, thereby serving the auxiliary function of holding these boards together.

The central portion of the reinforced plate or bumper between the projecting members Serial .No. 669,158.

is enlarged and ooncaved to constitute a guide for the incoming coupling pin which enters the opening therein. This opening is normally closed by a pair of spring-pressed aws, which are adapted to be opened by the entering head of the coupling means of a two-Way lever, when it is desired to uncouple the cars.

Spaced behind the jaws which engage the head of the coupling pin isa spring bumper which takes up the strain of the thrust of the coupling operation.

One embodiment of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

F lgure 1 is a top plan view of so much of a railway car as is necessary for an illustration of the present invention, showing the improved coupler assembly in position.

Figures 2 and 3 are perspective views respectively of two types of coupling pins, and Figure 3 is a perspective view of a spring bumper for receiving the thrust of the pins when cars are being uncouple Figures 4 and 5 area rear elevation and a horizontal cross-section, respectively, of the detailed coupling mechanism on an enlarged scale, parts being broken away to facilitate illustration.

Figure 6 isa diagrammatic view illustrating one phase of the utility of the present coupler assembly.

Referring to Figure 1, a car, having two outside bracing and supporting members 10 and 11, is shown equipped witha metallic bumper 12, which extends across the face of each projecting member. This bumper may be made of iron or other metal of sufficient tensile strength. The ends of the bumper 12 are bent inwardly along the sides of the car, and are there preferably secured by means of a transverse rod 18, screw threaded at each end to receive nuts 14. The bolt 13 passes through registering transverse slots 15 in each bottomboard, thereby holding the bottom boards of the car together, to prevent sifting out of the ma terial in the car.

The bumper 12 has a centrally located e11- larged portion 16, the middle of which is concaved, as shown at 17, to an opening 18. Located on the rear of this enlarged portion 16, is a pair of jaws 19, pivoted at 20, as shown in Figure 4, to open from the vertical position. These jaws are yieldably held closed by means of horizontal coiled springs '60 pin or by I 21, one end of which seats against a lug 23, and, at the opposite end, the springs press against the movable aws 19.

The jaws 19, when closed, cover the opening 18, but, in order to permit the entrance of the head of a coupling pin 2 1 (two types of which are shown in Figure 2), into the jaws 19, they are cut away as shown at 25, (Figures 4 and 5), so that this opening is directly aligned with the opening 18. As shown in these figures and in Figure 1, the jaws 19 are beveled, as shown at 26, to the opening 25, in continuation of the bevel 17. The rear faces of the jaws19 are straight so that they will adequately restrain the head of the pin 24 after it has once entered the aws. i

The coupling pins 2t,'illustratedin F1gure 2, are of the customary arrow-head types, one being adapted tobe permanent ly connected to one end of a car, this type having an enlarged head 27; the other being adapted for use when the herein described coupling assembly is located on each end of the car, this type having a head 27 at each end and an enlarged central portion.- The single headed pin 2 1 is provided at its rear end, with a slot 28, into which a retaining pin (not shown) fits. This opening is partially closed by means of an encased spring 29.

When two cars are to be coupled together, the head 27 of the pin 24 enters the openings 18and 25, the jaws readily yielding to admit the head 27, and immediatelyclosing about said coupling pin after the pin head has passed said jaws, to firmly grip it and hold it in position. I

To uncouple the cars, the jaws'19 are opened against the action of thesprings 21 by means of the two-way lever 31, which is pivoted to the bumper 16, at 32, as shown in Figure 4. The lever 31 has two arms 33 and 34 secured, respectively, to the jaws 19, by means of the pins 35 on the jaws 19, co-operating with the slots 36, in each arm of the lever. This slot and pin connection of the lever to the jaws, is protected from injury by means of a guard 37 secured to the rear of the bumper 16.

When the lever 31 is actuated to the left in Figure 1, the jaws 19 open, permitting the head 27 of the pin 2% to be withdrawn,

thereby uncoupling the cars. When the lever 31 is released, the springs 21 will close the jaws 19. j

V hen the cars are coupled together, and the pin is in coupled position, theslot and pin construction between the jaws 19 and lever 31 permits a freedom of movement of the jaws 19 to the right and left in Figure a to allow the coupling pin 24 complete freedom whenthe cars are traveling, particular 1y when rounding curves.

Aligned with the openings 18 and 25, and

. plained. 1

spaced rearwardly therefrom is located a spring bumper 38, which is adapted to receive the thrust of the coupling pin 24, as it is forced through the jaws 19. This bumper consists of a concaved plate 39, which fits upon rods 11', and rests upon coiled springs 42, which surround each rod 11. This bumper may be mounted directlyupon the car cross beam or may be mounted upon a separate block.

In operation, either or both ends of a car may be equipped with the above described coupler assembly, or one end of the car may be equipped with the permanently fastened single headed pin 2%, shown in Figure 2. Assuming that two cars are to becoupled together, one car being equipped with the permanent pin above described and the other with the coupling mechanism above described, the operation will be as follows As the endsof the cars come together, the pin will be guided into the opening 18, through this opening and the opening 25, thereby forcing the jaws 19 apart. As the arrow head of the coupling pin passes through the openings 25, the jaws 19 will close behind the head upon the reduced shank of the pin. As the head of the coupling pin continues further through the opening 25, it will encounter the plate 39 of the bumper 38, and this takes up the thrust of the coupling operation.

As heretofore explained, to uncouple the cars, itis only necessary to move the lever 31 to the left in Figure 4, and the jaws 19 will be opened suificiently far to permit the removal of the arrow head of the coupling pin.

There are several features of applicants construction which are worthy of note. First, by arranging the locking mechanism to the coupler upon a bumper extending across the width of the car, there is a greater distribution of the strain and the jolt of the coupling operation. Not only is this true during the first coupling together, but it is likewise r true after the cars are coupled together and are put in travel, during which time there is, of course, a constant pull and jerk upon the coupling mechanism. Secondly, by having the spring-pressed jaws open vertically from the normal position, the coupling pin is given a range of movement in all directions, as heretofore ex- Without more detailed explanation, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that my invention maybe applied with equal advantage to any type of car, whether there are projecting bracing and supporting members or not. Where there are no such members, the herein described coupling assembly could be attached across the end ofthe car, in this case acting also in the nature of a bumper as Well as a coupler. Other types of cars having no projecting member may have the herein described coupler assembly fastened to the underneath frame Work with equal utility. 1

Therefore, I Wish to have only such limitations included as are indicated in the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

A car coupler including a plate having an opening, a pair of latch plates pivotally mounted on the first plate and having cooperating notches forming an opening registering with the opening of the first plate.

springs normally urging the plates into contact opposite said opening of the first plate, a coupling bar having an enlarged head arranged to separate said plates and enter said openings, a lever pivotally supported on the first plate and slidably connected With one of the pivoted plates, a link pivotally carried by the lever and slidably connected 'With the other pivoted plate, and a guide for the plates and links.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

BENJAMIN E. GILDERSLEEVE. 

